The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-04-21
MISS LOOKABOUT.
NOTES BY A WOMAN ON HER WAY
THROUGH THE WORLD.

NOTES BY A WOMAN ON HER WAY
THROUGH THE WORLD.
A Clever Girls Bureau Of Aid 70 the Min.
istry-One Of the Tricks BY which Bar
eain-Hunters are Causht-The Old, Old
story Of woman's Unrequited Devotion.
NEW York, April 1T IL oftener
told how New Workers conceive novel
means Of making money than they sue
ceed with them. A talented girl whom I
know decided that If she could not be-
come preacher she at least could make
money by writing sermons. She opened
a bureau in a quiet way for supplying
discourses to ministers who had need of
such help.
"Idon't mind talking about the scheme"
she said, buoyantly. 1t occurred to me
that It must be an awful task for some of
the ministers to write sermons. knew
few personally who were not overbur-
dened with ideas and couldn't write any
thing worth reading in the way Of love-
letters, and didn't believe their ordina-
ton had increased their capacities. Then,
of course, thought, there must be some
overworked ministers who really have not
the time to prepare their sermons care
fully, and would be glad to get little re-
lief. had heard some of my friends
preach, and I will not deny that COM
passion for their congregations had some
weight in determining my course. 1t
struck me that I might make pretty good
thing for myself, besides relieving pastors
and focks Of much mental distress, by
writing sermons to order. have con-
siderable facility in writing, good gen.
eral knowledge of creeds and doctrines
and no prejudices Of denominational
nature. l offered to furnish duplicate
sermons at low rate, taking care not to
send the same sermon to ministers in the
same town or district, and get up text,
subject and all myself. You will be sur
prised if tell you how many preachers
accepted my proposition"
She did not tell me. Not one customer
did she obtain. But she demonstrated
the fact that curiously impracticable
ways of making money are devised and
tried in New York.
Sauntering venturesomely in the Bow
cry, I saw red flag and heard the gable
of an auctioneer. Like a woman born,
I stepped in to see what bargains were
to be had. The place was dark, dingy
store. A placard intimated that disas-
trous bankruptcy had overtaken fancy
goods merchant, that pitiless creditors
had seized the stock, and that everything
must be sold by four or eight o'clock that
afternoon. HE was friend of mine"
said a handsome, well-dressed woman,
half to me and half in soliloquy, land
I did all l could to help him out of his
trouble; but 1t couldn't be done. My,
my, look at thatr' I did look. The
auctioneer had Just knocked down a
dozen fine stockings for 81 so, or had
pretended to do so. Eight men and
women were employed in this swindle.
One was licensed auctioneer, one was a
cashier, behind q fenced desk, one was
the handler Of the goods, and the rest
were stool-pigeons, of whom the chief
was the good-looking woman whose re-
marks I have quoted. She took me in
hand and wasted her ablest work on me.
She said that she didn't know why she
should hesitate to profit by her friends
misfortune, SO long as the goods were
bound to be sacrificed anyhow. She crit
ically examined a lot, consisting of twelve
boxes, and they were knocked down to
her at q. She took $5 from q big roll
and got the change from the cashier.
"Twelve dozen good pairs of stockings
for g." said she; "well, that's bargain"
The trick was old in principle, and !
recognized 1t at a glance. If had bid
90, and handed the money to the cashier,
he would have asked me If only wanted
single pair.
II bought the whole dozen," I would
say,
would be the reply.
Remonstrance would be useless. The
auctioneer had not said that he was sell
ing by the lot, and the understanding
was no fault Of his. They were not such
fools as to sell that sort of silk hosiery
PEELED to take the dozen for ga, but they
wouldn't do anything 50 unpleasant.
s. Return e. that ,s would be .,i ridiculous s
i uubS CVUl9 t6RO VIC OuC P0AA VI 4Oth
ing. The idea of the hard work and
really small profits of swindling came
into my head, and said to the handsome
stool pigeon: Pom my word, can't see
how you make this concern pay. Here
are eight of you, all well dressed and
well fed, and each with roll Of bills to
work with; your rent must be paid, and
the stockings must cost little some
thing. Now, I've been here at least fif-
teen minutes, and you haven't made a
cent during that time. 1t strikes me that
you are really working pretty hard, and
not getting rich either"
The more l think of it the more I am
convinced that my deduction was sound
but the fellow didn't take to It kindly.
He scolded me vehemently several Of his
pals helped him; one Of them, who was
behind the counter, leaned over and used
fierce words; and whoever thinks that
retired from that store feeling like a
triumphant woman, simply because had
fooled the rascals, is very much mistaken.
sly ears are tingling yet.
1t was at \ woman's hospital, where
some of the fashionable young women 60
in charity and succor bent, that / chanced
yesterday to witness case Of girl who,
though educated and originally refined,
bad chosen to be the wife of thief. He
had kept, ostensibly, . pawn shop, but
was really buyer Of stolen goods; and